Pune Swine Flu toll rises to 99

An unrelenting Swine flu pandemic in the city has claimed two more lives including that of a pregnant woman taking the toll to 99, health officials said today.

The 28-year-old eight month pregnant woman, Surekha Chaure, who died three days ago in a hospital was confirmed as H1N1 virus victim after the positive test result that became available on Tuesday, they said.

The infection killed another 29-year-old youth yesterday — Navnath Thombre — who had been on ventilator since his admission on October 30.

The civic and state health machinery has undertaken a massive awareness campaign for early detection of suspected cases with opening up of more screening centres in and around Pune which has registered maximum H1N1 fatalities in the country since the death of a school girl on August 3.

A senior health official said the authorities were working out a strategy to face situation that could arise due to a speculated "second wave" in the winter, expected to be more severe and virulent than the one witnessed during the last four months in the city, the worst hit by the pandemic.